Civil War Washington

PETITION.

To the Commissioners under the act of Congress approved the 16th of April, 1862, entitled "An act for the release of certain persons held to service or labor in the District of Columbia."

Your Petitioner, Hellen L. Stewart of George Town, D.Ca. by this her petition in writing, represents and states, that she is a person loyal to the United States, who, at the time of the passage of the said act of Congress, held a claim to service or labor against Two persons of African descent of the name of Mary Lucy and Fanny Elizabeth Brown for and during the life of said Mary Lucy & Fanny Elizabeth and that by said act of Congress said Mary Lucy & Fanny Elizabeth were discharged and freed of and from all claim of your petitioner to such service or labor; that at the time of said discharge said May Lucy was in her seventeenth year and Fanny Elizabeth in her of the age of fourteenth year of age and of the personal description following:(1) sct.

 

That your petitioner acquired her claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said Mary Lucy & Fanny Elizabeth in manner following:(2) The said servants were born of a slave woman, called Louisa Annette Brown, whose mother, and grand mother were owned & held in servitude for a long series of years by the mother of your petitioner—that the said Louisa Annette, recently deceased and her two surviving children, the said Mary L. & Fanny E, were were​ given by the mother of your petitioner, to her & her sister, Margaret C. Stewart, who by her last will & testament 23rd July 1853 bequeathed to your petitioner, "all her right title & interest
That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of dollars in money.(3) in said servants" as will more fully appear by reference to the records of the Orphans Court of this District. That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said servants, was at the time of said discharge therefrom of the value of Fifteen hundred dollars in money. The said Mary Lucy, when but 14 years old being assessed at $600 & Fanny when 10 years old being assessed at $500—Your Petitioner avers that the said servants are healthy, intelligent & moral and she has no knowledge of any personal infirmity or defect—

Your petitioner hereby declares that she bears true and faithful allegiance to the Government of the United States, and that she has not borne arms against the United States in the present rebellion, nor in any way given aid or comfort thereto.

And your petitioner further states and alleges, that she has not brought said Mary Lucy & Fanny Elizabeth into the District of Columbia since the passage of said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said Mary Lucy & Fanny Elizabeth wereas held to service or labor therein under and by virtue of your petitioner's claim to such service or labor.

Your petitioner further states and alleges, that her said claim to the service or labor of said servants does not originate in or by virtue of any transfer heretofore made by any person who has in any manner aided or sustained the present rebellion against the Government of the United States.

And your petitioner prays the said Commissioners to investigate and determine the validity of her said claim to the service or labor of said servants herein above set forth; and if the same be found to be valid, that they appraise and apportion the value of said claim in money, and report the same to the Secretary of the Treasury of the United States, in conformity to the provisions of said act of Congress.